Small Home Theatre Setup - 2 Quotes with Different Recommendations

[crux]

Hello,
I am in the process of pulling together a small home entertainment setup. I currently have a DVD player and a 21" CRT and feel it's about time to buy some grown up toys.

To start off, I don't need the clearest sound, sharpest picture or largest TV. All would be nice, but I'm looking to do this on some sort of budget. I've discussed my setup with two different home theatre companies. The first is a small company that did all of the wiring in my new townhome (All Frequencies, Inc). The second is on a recommendation from a coworker (ListenUp). Both have been very helpful, but have given different advice on components so I thought I would come here to seek some advice.

The room where all of this is being setup is fairly small. It's about 15' x 25' with 10' high ceilings. The shorter of the two distances has the couch on one end and the TV on the other. The current viewing distance is about 11'. Both plans call for two flush celing mounts above the couch for the surround sound and two wall mounts (possibly inset) on the TV wall. We're also moving all components into the closet behind the TV wall to keep everything nice and clean.

I'm looking to buy a receiver, two front channel speakers, two surround speakers and an LCD TV. Both companies have recommended a center channel speaker and a sub woofer. I just went in for a listen and the center channel didn't make that much difference, but will surely go with the sub woofer. My main uses are for music (Ipod and Computer) and movies (DVD player and computer).

In addition, I plan to have them install a speaker on the upstairs deck (already wired) which is 2 floors from the main entertainment center. Along with this, there will be a volume control just inside the patio door for the outoor speaker.

I bring all of this up so 1. I can make sure they're not selling me a Mercedes when I want a Yugo and 2. To make sure I get the best components for the price I'm willing to pay.

LCD TV
The TV has not been discussed much with either of the companies. I've done some research and think that a 32"-37" would be fine. I don't want it to overwhelm the room but everyone I know says they wish they would have picked up a larger TV. I just want to be able to clearly read subtitles if necessary. That's a TV big enough for me. My current 21" isn't cutting it. I'm looking for a good deal but also want something that won't be outdated in five years. I don't plan to get an HD cable box or buy any new HD DVDs anytime soon. I also don't do any gaming. Mostly just watch regular cable TV, movies from DVD and movies from my new laptop. That said, also looking for the best way to connect the laptop to the receiver to the TV. I currently use an S-video cable directly to the TV.

All Frequencies suggestion:
Receiver - Yamaha RX-V661 - $459
Speakers - CRS6 One SpeakerCraft in Ceiling Speakers $747. This is for two surround sound ceiling mount and two front channel ceiling mount plus a center channel speaker.

Patio Speaker - SpeakerCraft O.E. DT5.1 Outdoor 2ch Stereo Speaker 5.25" - $258
Volume Control - SpeakerCraft VST60 - $60

ListenUp suggestions:
Recevier - Denon AV-1907 - $550
Speakers - 2 ceiling mount surround speakers (B&W CCM636) - $175 each
No quote yet on the two front speakers but most likely B&W

Patio speaker - SpeakerCraft WS950 - $275 (normally $425 but this is a floor demo)

Just got off the phone with ListenUp. The guy seems nice enough, but every time I ask if there is a cheaper model, he always seems to find one. I'm not looking for the cheapest of cheep, but they know I'm looking for lower end stuff. I don't have the formal quote from them yet, but wanted to get your thoughts on components and price.

Apologies for the lengthy post, but wanted to be as complete as possible to get the best feedback.

Thanks for any suggestions around TV, receiver, speakers, etc.


Update: I just received the new quote from All Frequencies (link below) and was notified that all of the wiring is in the ceiling and that there are additional costs if I want to bring the wire to the opposite wall (vs. just mouting all four speakers in the ceiling)...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=80500

Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[mouettus]

That's gonna be a tough one... You're asking a lot for not much money.

For the receiver, I would recommend you an older model with "zones" because you obviously don't need all the new gadgets they're coming out with. Try the 659 (last years' model (which should be on sale pretty soon/by now)) instead of the new 661.

For the Tv, 32-26in is a little small if your listening position is 11' further. Either you go bigger or sit closer. Believe me, I just bought a new tv. 46in and I stand 9' away and the movies are perfect. 40in should be good enough. Then again, if you want something bigger for your money you should go rear projection. I can buy a 42in sony grand wega for 1200$ here in canada.

For speakers, you can have full range speakers for really cheap if you search a little bit. Every Best Buy carries JBL and Infinity which a lot of people buy on a budget and that are pretty effective.

n.b. Get a center channel. This is THE most important speaker in a 5.1 set. This is where all the speach and some effects come from in surround sound. You could buy a subwoofer later if you think there's not enough bass to your taste.

 

[crux]

Thank you very much for the reply. I intentionally left out what I was looking to pay. I know I will get what I pay for. I'm just trying to get the best bang for the buck. As I mentioned, I'm looking for in between lowest price components to mid price components.

I have heard a few suggestions on going with around a 37" TV, so I'll most likely go with that size.

Thanks for the advice on the center channel. I might go that route instead of the sub for now.

 

[Seth=L]

Any reason you chose inwalls?

The RX-V661 has very nice features for its price.

 

[mouettus]

The RX-V661 has very nice features for its price.

Yeah... but features he's paying for and won't even be using anyways!

 

[crux]

Yeah... but features he's paying for and won't even be using anyways!

Thanks for the responses. So my main inputs to the receiver will be an ipod, laptop and DVD player. The outputs will be speakers and a TV. I also need to be able to output the the speaker on the deck. No need for HD cable in the near future.

I'm starting to think about doing bookshelf speakers with a small entertainment center instead of having holes cut in my walls and ceiling. Still, any suggestions on a good receiver to meet my needs would be great.

Thanks!

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Get the Yammy 659. It's cheap and awesome.

 

[mfabien]

Front Towers are simpler to install and provide you with best sound.

Center channel is a must... when you are financially ready for a sub, get a very good one, it is the icing on the cake.

 

[Davemcc]

Be advised that if you are using standard definition cable, your picture may look worse as you go up in the size of TV. Channels that look pretty good on my 26" sometimes look awful on my 40" due to blurred edges and artifacts. A large screen really needs better definition to have a really good picture. It's easy to get talked into a bigger TV, but you will find the limits of standard definition picture quality very quickly. You should get good results from any decent upconverting DVD player on your larger TV, though. That's my experience. Your mileage may vary.

 

[mouettus]

Be advised that if you are using standard definition cable, your picture may look worse as you go up in the size of TV. Channels that look pretty good on my 26" sometimes look awful on my 40" due to blurred edges and artifacts. A large screen really needs better definition to have a really good picture. It's easy to get talked into a bigger TV, but you will find the limits of standard definition picture quality very quickly. You should get good results from any decent upconverting DVD player on your larger TV, though. That's my experience. Your mileage may vary.

How about sitting 11 feet from your 36-40in television?! Standard definition will look blurry no more!